Delhi Youth Arrested for Posting Video Targeting Ex‑Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Later Granted Bail

A 22‑year‑old Delhi resident, Ritesh Pandey, was arrested by Bengaluru police for uploading a video that targets former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, and was later released on bail with a cooperation clause.## Investigation Police said the arrest follows a complaint filed by Siddaramaiah over the alleged sting video. The Cyber Crime Wing of the Central Crime Branch questioned Pandey after transferring him from Delhi to Bengaluru. Investigators recovered a second‑hand mobile phone and other electronic material they believe were used to post the footage on YouTube and X through accounts labelled “Karnataka Honey Trap”. Pandey told officers the upload was done on instructions from a person linked to the Janata Dal (Secular) social‑media team. The CCB is now trying to identify that person and determine whether additional individuals recorded, uploaded or shared the clip. Notices have been sent to several suspected distributors, though some remain untraceable.## Reaction Siddaramaiah called the video a fabricated blackmail attempt and said he approached police to uncover the truth. He also obtained a civil‑court stay order to stop further circulation. His son and minister, Yathindra Siddaramaiah, suggested the woman seen in the clip appears to be a Congress worker and that the operation might have been intended to help her secure a Congress ticket for the 2023 Puttur Assembly election, while stressing that this does not implicate the party as a whole.## Context The case illustrates how Indian politicians use cyber‑crime units to investigate alleged online smear campaigns, and shows the role of party social‑media teams in shaping digital content.